 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge
Common Sense Media says
Learn about Japan while solving a puzzling mystery.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge is an adventure mystery starring teenage sleuth Nancy Drew that is set in Japan. The game offers two modes of difficulty, but even the lesser one contains some pretty challenging brainteasers that can't be skipped. The story revolves around a haunted Japanese Inn and contains some scary moments, but it also exposes players to various facets of Japanese culture, including calligraphy, rock gardens, and sudoku. The game is aimed at players aged 10 and older, but slightly younger players might enjoy playing with some support from mom or dad.
What's it about?
In NANCY DREW: SHADOW AT THE WATER'S EDGE, the 23rd point-and-click adventure game in Her Interactive's long-running series, teenage detective Nancy Drew travels to Japan to teach English but finds herself staying at an inn that seems to be haunted. The mystery proves too intriguing for Nancy to ignore, and she goes about interviewing the employees of the family-run Inn and the surrounding city, diving into Japanese culture, and solving challenging mini-game puzzles.
Is it any good?
Shadows at Water's Edge is one of the less linear entries in the Nancy Drew series. Nancy is free to wander around the Inn and beyond (via a subway system), but she'll miss certain events that only happen at specific times unless she sets her alarm. The exotic and beautiful Japanese setting adds a breath of fresh air to the series, allowing players plenty of opportunities to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and learn a thing or two. Like past Drew games, the puzzles can get quite challenging and can't be skipped which might result in some frustration. A skip option for the dialogue might have been nice as well, since some of the characters tend to talk quite slowly. Overall, though, Shadow at Water's Edge has all the ingredients of another worthy entry to the well-respected series.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what they learned about Japanese culture by playing this game. Did they try to make the origami paper sculpture shown in the diagram? Or draw the Japanese characters featured in Nancy's origami lesson? Would they ever try to create a rock garden in the Japanese style?
Families can also discuss the presence of ghosts in the game. Why do so many different cultures believe in ghosts? Do you think all ghosts are scary?
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AGE
A Gr8 Game!!
Ok So I Have Played ALL The Nancy Drew Games & This Is One Of My Faves!! It Is Creepy & Scary(Which Is What I LOVE!) It Is'nt gory or To Vilolent(Some Stuff Jumps out at u but that's it!) Some Images Might be scary but i play this with my little sisters(5 & 10) & it didn't scare them! But It Is A Gr8 Game & Worth A Buy!!
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AGE
Too scary to be rated 10+, disturbing images
I am 19 and thought the images of the ghost girlk were way too scary. I like my nanayc drew games because they are generally light and fun and im playing it at 11:00 at night alone while everyone else is asleep, and this creepy ghost girl who resembles the girl from the grudge charges at me while croaking. i did not like that. the rest of the game is good but I did not think this was appropriate for a game supposedly intended for 10 year olds. If i wanted to be disturbed by my game, I would play an Adventure Company Jack the Ripper game or something.
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AGE
Awesome game!
This is one of my favorite ND games. I think it is very educational because Nancy encounters some challenging puzzles that require some thinking. Nancy Drew is a very good role model because she sticks on a case no matter what happens. There were 2 parts that scared the pants off of me (don't read the rest if you don't want to know when they are) Nancy walks into a bathroom, then walks directly up to the mirror and behind her is this creepy ghost girl just standing there. (It's strange because you don't see Nancy in the mirror.. Hmm...) But then the mirror breaks and she disappears. The next part is near the end of the game when Nancy finds a secret room. You finish a puzzle then when Nancy turns around there is this creepy looking ghost girl that charges toward you and pushes you into the water and holds you there while you finish a puzzle to get out. Other than those parts it's mostly just shadows, and footprints.
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AGE
Creepy!
I love this Nancy Drew game. It is probably the scariest, spookiest, creepiest one. Which is a good thing for most players, but perhaps not for younger fans. However, I gave this a pause for 10 year olds because the puzzles might be too challenging for ten year olds. If your child's super smart - go for it!
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Kid, 12 years old
November 17, 2011
AGE
Awesome! MUST HAVE! but of course...A coupld warnings
I thought this game was AMAZING!
The graphics were good ad the dialouge interesting!
ITS A MUST HAVE!
But heres a warning:
Unlike most (rember most! some of these games are like this in the challenge way!) ND games this once has a couple more complex puzzles that had me trying them for days! (picture frame and the diagram.)
Another thing is that this game was quiet frightning.
Now, if your a thrill seeker like me its a fun type of scare, but if your not really into it id recomend covering your eyes!
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AGE
Very Scary! But, fun
The "ghost" can jump out at you when you least expect it. Two excellent examples are the mirror scene where the ghost comes forward and shatters the mirror. Also *possible spoiler* near the end when you go into the baths the ghost comes out and traps you underwater and if you don't escape in time Nancy drowns and the the way it's presented is not pretty and quite frightening. On the positive side this game does teach you a fair amout of Japanese culture, like how red means bad luck or when you're writing your name in Japanese. Also, you correct students' papers and that can help kids who are new to America. Another poitive is Nancy, of course but also one character is kind and gentle and explains things in a nice way.
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| Platforms: | Windows, Mac |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Her Interactive |
| Release date: | October 19, 2010 |
| Price: | $19.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Mild Violence |
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